Bloody Rose
by Kaneko Aikawa
Summary: They were two completely different people. He was a vampire; she was a hunter. But one thing was for certain, he wanted her blood...and her. IchiRuki AU Sexy, creepy, and twisted! Complete.
1. The Vampire, The Hunter

_Summary:_ They were two completely different people. She was a hunter; he was a vampire. But two things were for certain: he wanted her blood...and her.

After looking at a bunch of fanart pictures of Ichigo as a vampire, I had the inspiration of writing a vampire fanfic. It's completely AU and there are many characters that are OOC, but there's bound to be quite a bit of drama, romance, and oh yes, vampire-like behaviour. This is my first attempt at writing a vampire fanfic, but I hope you enjoy anyway.

**DISCLAIMER: **I don't own Bleach unfortunately. It's entitled to Tite Kubo, Viz Media, TV Tokyo, and Shounen Jump.

* * *

><p><strong>Bloody Rose<strong>

**Chapter 1: The Vampire, The Hunter**

It was dark in the small town of Karakura—well except for the fact that the full moon shone in all its glory. Two dark figures jumped along the rooftops of the small town with amazing speeds. It was their time...to hunt.

Isshin smirked at his son trailing behind him. "You're so slow, Ichigo," he said with a chuckle. His fangs protruding from his upper lips as he spoke in his smooth voice.

Ichigo scowled at the joke. "Shut the fuck up, old man," he snapped in a voice almost as smooth as his father's. "You see anyone yet?"

Isshin stopped in his tracks and looked around on the ground underneath him. "None yet," he replied. "Let's keep moving."

Ichigo's eyes narrowed as he complied with his father.

The Kurosaki family had been vampires for centuries, unbeknownst to the other people who had lived in the small town just outside of Tokyo. They had been doing a great job so far in concealing their secret. After all, they did not want to start a commotion with anyone, and even if their secret _does _get revealed to any witness, there was a certain ability they owned that could prevent such a commotion.

Isshin had always been the most experienced and he had always protected his three children – a teen-aged boy and two twin, pre-teen daughters – from anything out of the ordinary, especially from hunters. His wife, Masaki, was killed by a hunter when Ichigo was just a child so he always had to take precautions to prevent anything like that to happen to his family.

Ichigo was just as protective as his father for he had always looked out for his sisters, whose powers have not yet matured like his was. His senses, strength and speed were almost as great as his father's, and Isshin took great pride in his son. This could probably be the main reason why they had always hunted every night.

Ichigo stopped on a telephone pole as his yellow eyes caught site of a gorgeous, busty girl taking a stroll around the park. Her long, ginger hair flowed behind her back as she walked and blue, flower pins seemed to reflect the soft glow given off by the lights. He licked his lips hungrily and his mouth stretched across his face in a malicious grin.

Noticing this, Isshin nodded in approval. "She's yours, Ichigo."

"You're too kind," Ichigo replied as he jumped down from telephone pole.

Isshin watched his son proudly as he stalked the girl from behind, trying not to make any sudden movements or sounds.

The girl stopped walking for she heard a slight brushing noise from behind her and looked behind her. When she could not see anything, she turned around sharply to continue looking for the source of the noise but there was nothing. She shrugged and continued to walk forward, thinking that it could be a raccoon or something.

Ichigo stepped out from behind the telephone pole and followed the girl, slightly quicker than before. The lust for her blood was so much to bear, but he knew that he could not be reckless. After all, his father was watching his every movement.

Before she stepped onto the concrete sidewalk, Ichigo used this moment to strike. He lunged forward and wrapped a hand around the girl's throat, catching her by surprise as he slammed her against the nearest streetlight. Fear shone through her amber eyes as she locked them with the fearsome, hungry eyes of Ichigo Kurosaki. Before she could scream, Ichigo moved his hand up from her throat to her mouth, muffling any sound that came from it. He twisted her head to the side, bearing her neck. She shut her eyes tightly, hoping this was just a nightmare that she could wake up. Baring his fangs, Ichigo swiftly brought his head to the girl's neck and bit hard through the skin. The girl tried to fight out of her assailant's grip, but Ichigo pressed her body close to the streetlight's pole with his. He sucked the red, coppery fluid that flowed from her neck, relishing in the sweet taste. The girl's body fell limp, but Ichigo continued to suck and lick every drop of blood until there was none left. Then he stepped back, licking the excess blood that stained his lips and letting the girl's deceased body fall in a lifeless heap at the foot of the pole.

Isshin jumped down behind his son and smiled with utmost pride. "You've learned well, my son."

Grinning evilly, Ichigo turned around to face his father. "What can I say? She was delicious. I had to do what I could to keep her from running."

Isshin nodded in agreement. "Absolutely. Now let's find_ me _a victim. What do you say?"

Ichigo shrugged. "Might as well. This shouldn't take long."

Isshin chuckled and they jumped up a long distance to continue their hunt.

* * *

><p>"<em>The Karakura serial killer struck again late last night when the body of Inoue Orihime was found in the town park. Like the rest of his or her victims, the body was completely drained of her blood and there were two puncture marks on the side of her neck. At another location, the body of Asano Keigo was found with the same thing done to him. Forensic scientist Urahara Kisuke could not explain who could possibly have done these horrific activities, but town police strongly urges anyone to <em>not_ go out after dark."_

Kuchiki Byakuya massaged the bridge of his nose when he was listening to the story on the radio. Every night, two victims were attacked with the same circumstances, and he knew that there was one logical explanation for this: vampires. There was no serial killer, but if that's what regular humans wanted to believe then there was no choice but to let them believe such a thing. He has hunted many vampires in the past, but these were especially difficult to find. Where were they? He knew that they lived here because the attacks were all done in Karakura, but where? The question frustrated him to no end.

The Kuchiki family had been hunters for generations, and they were very notorious for their work. No vampire had ever gotten away with their malicious deeds when they were slain by the Kuchikis, and Byakuya and his sister Rukia moved to Karakura town recently because they had heard of the vampires through the stories regarding their victims. Even though Byakuya had no success so far in finding said vampires, he was determined to never give up.

Turning off the radio, he stood up from his desk and walked out into the hallway of the mansion for a glass of water and fresh air. Maybe that was what he needed to ease the stress.

When he walked into the kitchen, Rukia was sitting on a bar stool reading and sipping tea. He opened a cupboard board and took out a glass. "The Karakura vampire or vampires struck again last night," he announced to his sister in a voice without emotion.

Rukia furrowed her eyebrows without looking from her book. "I told you that I don't care about what some vampires did. I just want to be normal for once."

Byakuya stepped towards the fridge and placed his glass in the water dispenser on the door. "I'm afraid you won't be normal as much as you might think so. You're a Kuchiki and it's..."

"In your birthright, I know," Rukia cut him off as she closed her book with a snap. "And what if the vampires don't live here at all? Are we going to move again?" Attitude was laced in her voice as she spoke.

"I know they live here," Byakuya replied as he sat on the bar stool with his glass of ice water. "After all, all of their activities are done here. We will _not_ stop until they're all slain, and I don't care what you think of the issue. You're a Kuchiki and you are required to follow your heritage, whether you like it or not."

Rukia huffed disobediently. She hated it when she was forced into such duties. All what she wanted to be was a normal schoolgirl with a real job just like everyone else, but her brother insisted she follow her bloodline just like everyone else in her family. She felt trapped...trapped by her own family.

Byakuya decided to try the same tactic that he had always used to persuade his sister to remember her heritage. "Don't do it for your ancestors, but also do it for those victims who were killed by the vampires. You do remember what happened with Kaien and his wife, right?"

Rukia froze at the name. Kaien Shiba was her mentor and...she could admit, her crush. When she was thirteen, his wife was found drained of her blood and had two puncture marks on the side of her neck. The night after, Kaien himself was met with the same fate. What was horrific about that night was that it all happened right in front of her. She tried to stop the vampire who had done such a deed, but it was too late. At least the vampire was eventually slain, but she could not forget that night and she had so many nightmares ever since.

She clenched her hands into fists and bit her lip as she tried to stop the tears from falling. After all, she wanted to remain strong in front of her brother who had no tolerance for such emotion. "You're right...Nii-sama," she whispered.

Finishing his water, Byakuya got up from his stool. "You do know that I'm right, and why we're doing this," he said. "Just don't forget what we came here to do." He walked downstairs towards the front door so that he could have his fresh air.

Rukia sat in silence. She knew precisely what she must do, even if she did not agree with it. Taking a big sigh, she opened her book and resumed her reading—an unconscious tear slipped from her eye as she thought of her beloved Kaien once more.

* * *

><p>So that's a bit of a short chapter to help you get to know the main characters a bit. The chapters will probably be longer and there won't be very many, but I hope you will enjoy reading it as I enjoy writing it. :D I'm also still in the process of writing chapter 1 of Condemned Time and you'll see it sometime very soon. In the meantime though, please let me know what you think of this chapter.<p>

Take care!


	2. Encounter

So in this chapter you will see the first meeting between Ichigo and Rukia, as well as that "certain ability" mentioned in chapter 1. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 2: Encounter<strong>

Tatsuki Arisawa picked up the pace as she crossed the street, slinging her bag over her shoulder. It was already after dark and she needed to get home before her mother could worry about her, what with all the reports of the "Karakura Serial Killer" going around the news. She was not afraid of such a person, and she knew that with her expertise in karate she could probably defend herself to some extent.

She hoped that whoever it was that was in charge of these killings would be stopped right away. When she heard that her best friend, Orihime, was killed a few days ago in the park, she trained nonstop at the dojo, letting out her anger and depression.

As soon as she stepped onto the sidewalk, she froze for she heard a rustle around her. However, she shrugged, thinking it was just the wind, and walked up the sidewalk towards her house.

She had not gone very far and she noticed that a man was leaning against a telephone pole. A black hood was covering his hair except for a few strands that were sticking out. Thinking he was just some stranger waiting for someone, she passed him.

"What's a young lady like yourself doing after dark, hmm?" Ichigo's smooth voice stopped her in her tracks. "You do know that there's someone out there...someone who wouldn't hesitate to kill you." He smirked as he lowered his hood, revealing his bright orange hair that reflected off the glow given off by the streetlights.

Tatsuki sighed and turned around to face the man she passed. "Thanks for _your_ concern, mister, but what's it to you?"

"Nothing really," Ichigo replied. "I'm just some guy who wouldn't want to see a pretty lady like yourself be caught in...dire situations." His yellow eyes locked on hers as he stepped towards her.

"Okay, creep, get away from me or else," Tatsuki threatened as she tried to stand her ground.

"What can you possibly do to me?" Ichigo asked. "Besides, I know you're afraid. I can smell it. It's quite...what's the word...tempting."

"I'm not afraid," Tatsuki spat out as she stepped back. Her hands were balled into fists to keep herself from trembling.

"Keep telling yourself that, miss, but in a few seconds you're probably going to start running. I love it when prey runs, don't you think?" Ichigo chuckled as he took another step, lusting to bite his fangs into her neck.

_Prey?_ This guy was _really_ starting to freak her out. His eyes seemed to be abnormal as well as his pale skin. She took another step back, her breath caught in her throat. She had to get out of there and fast. He was right; she _was_ afraid. She could read his intentions in his eyes...his hungry eyes. Turning on her heel, she ran down the street as fast as she could, refusing to look back.

She had only been running a few blocks and she halted immediately when she saw the Kurosaki once again, grinning maliciously. "It just..." She tried to force the words out but she was out of breath and in shock.

"I know what you're thinking," Ichigo stated. "How could he already catch up to you in just an instant? You'll find out soon enough, but now the fun is over, sweetheart. Time to end this...once and for all."

She whimpered as she tried to take a step back, but one of his hands was grasping her arm tightly while the other was holding onto her chin. He tilted her head back and lowered his face next to her throat, fangs bared and ready to bite into her neck.

Suddenly, a gunshot was heard and missed his head by just an inch. He turned around to see who the one that shot the gun was. At that moment, Tatsuki used this opportunity to run away, relieved that whoever it was that interfered had saved her life.

"God damn it!" Ichigo cursed when he noticed that his next victim had escaped. He was about to give chase when another gunshot was made.

"Hold it right there, vampire!" Rukia shouted as she prepared to shoot once again.

"Fucking hell, a hunter," Ichigo muttered under his breath. "Just what I need."

"Your reign of terror ends here and now!" Rukia shouted as she fired her gun once more.

Using his speed and reflexes, Ichigo dodged the bullet before it could strike him, snarling like an animal at her. Rukia fired two more shots, but Ichigo dodged them even more.

"Fucking bitch!" Ichigo hissed as he dodged more bullets. "You've got _terrible_ aim!"

"Shut the fuck up and die already!" Rukia shouted as she continued firing her gun.

"You may look like a midget but you sure talk big," Ichigo insulted, jumping long distances and somersaulting past the bullets with ease.

"Your insults don't work on me! Don't even try! You killed too many innocent people and you should not be allowed to live!" Rukia continued to fire her gun, constantly missing her target.

"You're going to run out of bullets," Ichigo warned as he appeared behind her.

Before Rukia could turn around and fire her gun some more, Ichigo wrapped one arm around her shoulder to hold her in place and placed the other hand on her forehead. Rukia growled as she tried to fight her enemy's grip, but Ichigo's hold was too strong.

"I could bite you right now and get it over with," Ichigo whispered in her ear. "But there's something about you that's quite intimidating." The hand that was placed on her forehead glowed a violet light and Rukia gradually slowed her struggles.

"What the fuck are you doing to me?" She demanded, shocked by the vampire's actions.

"Oh, it's not much," Ichigo replied, "but it _will_ erase your mind of me...for now. It will just be enough to shut your pretty little mouth so you won't go telling any other hunter that I'm here."

The glow faded away and Ichigo let go, allowing the now fainted hunter to collapse to the ground; her gun lay next to her on the sidewalk. "Sleep well, princess, and pray that this is our one and final meeting because the _next _time we ever meet, I won't let you go so easily."

He bent down and stuck his hand in her pockets. When he found what he was looking for – her wallet – he opened it up, took out a piece of ID and glanced at it. "Kuchiki Rukia, huh? This should be interesting." He put the ID card inside her wallet and placed it back inside her jacket pocket.

Then he stood up, and, with one final look at the unconscious hunter on the ground, jumped onto the nearest rooftop. There was something about her that he could not erase his mind of, but he pushed it in the back of his mind for now. "I wonder how good she will taste," Ichigo whispered to himself as he agilely leapt to another roof top. "After encountering her, I'm feeling so much thirstier now. That other bitch may have gotten away, but there are others out there. However, I have to be more cautious just in case any _other_ hunter shows up."

He jumped down into the shadows and noticed another woman with long green hair walking up the steps towards her door. She yawned as she reached into her purse and pulled out her keys, anxious to get inside after a long day of work. Ichigo slowly crept behind her for a moment, and before she could stick her key in the lock, he grabbed her arms with one hand and held her cheek with the other.

"What?" She shrieked as she was taken by surprise.

Before she could say anything else, Ichigo lowered his face to her neck and sunk his fangs into her neck. She tried to scream for help but Ichigo covered her mouth and continued to suck. Tears streamed from her eyes as her screams muffled against his hand.

After a few minutes, Ichigo pushed her back forcefully and walked down the stairs, licking his lips as he strode towards home.

As soon as he arrived at his doorstep, he opened the door and slammed it shut behind. He turned around and punched the wall in frustration. No matter how he tried, he could not seem to forget about his encounter with Rukia—her angry, purple eyes that bore into his soul...or lack of it; her voice strong yet musical. He hated her with a strong passion.

"Onii-chan?" Yuzu's voice sounded from behind him.

He attempted to calm down when he heard her voice, and he turned around to face her. "Yuzu. Where's dad?"

"Upstairs," Yuzu replied. "What's wrong?"

"There's something I need to tell him." Ichigo walked past his sister and walked into the living room where his father was sitting. "Dad."

Isshin looked up at his son who was standing in front of him. "You're back. How did it go?"

Ichigo sat on a chair close to his father and sighed in exasperation. "Oh it was going well...until that fucking _bitch_ shows up shooting her gun at me." His hands tightened into fists as he gritted his teeth tightly.

"A hunter?" Isshin asked, shocked.

"Yes," Ichigo replied. "She had terrible aim too, but of course," he chuckled, "she was _no_ match for my superior speed and reflexes."

"It's not a matter of having 'terrible aim', Ichigo," Isshin lectured. "The fact remains that she was a hunter and she was trying to kill you." Ichigo said nothing. "You were back in your reckless ways once again. What did I ever tell you...about how should you ever consider encountering a hunter?"

Ichigo stood up. "Okay, Dad, first of all, _she_ interfered when I was about ready to feed, and second, I _don't_ run. I'm _never_ the type to run. You should know me better than that."

Isshin stood up as well and struck the back of his hand across his son's face. "You ungrateful boy!" He snarled. "Haven't you _fucking_ forgotten what happened to your _mother_? One of those god damned hunters had _slain_ her! _Don't _forget the pain that we all went through! Do _you_ want the same thing to happen to you? You should _realize_, Ichigo, that I'm trying to make sure that sort of shit _doesn't _happen again! You hear me?"

A memory of Ichigo's mother came back to him. The sound of that gun when it struck her chest, her screams as she fell backwards—Ichigo saw it all. He had since sworn vengeance on that day, and he knew that he would not stop until that hunter and his family were dealt with. _No_ one messes with his family and gets away with it. Now he wished he _had_ killed Rukia when he had the chance. She was lucky on their first meeting, but the next time they meet, she would not be so lucky when he sinks his fangs into her neck.

His lips curled into an insane grin as the image showed in his head. "Yes, I understand. I may have erased her memory, but the next time we meet, I'll kill her. Who knows? She might be related to that bastard that killed Mom."

Isshin sighed but remembered the first time his son sworn vengeance. "Just try not to get killed while attempting your revenge."

"Of course not."

* * *

><p>Rukia woke up the next morning, lying in her bed, to the sound of the rain outside her window. Confused, she sat up in her bed and looked around. This could not be possible! How did she get here? The last thing she remembered was being on patrol the night before, searching for the vampire that was responsible for the deaths of so many innocent people, but then everything went blank right after that. What happened last night? It was almost as if she was hung over, but her head was not pounding and she was not photosensitive. She turned her head towards her bedside table where her gun was lying. At least <em>that<em> was safe.

She swung her legs over the edge of her bed and stood up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Sometimes, I don't know anymore," she whispered to herself as she stepped towards the bathroom to wash her face. _I can't get that dream out of my head though,_ she whispered as she splashed the cold water against her face, _it all seemed so real. All what I can see is this beautiful and handsome face of a boy around my age...with orange hair. Something about him is off though—something I can't quite figure out._

She left the bathroom and walked towards the kitchen, where her brother was sipping coffee and reading a newspaper.

"You're up," Byakuya said, his eyes not leaving the article he was reading.

"Morning, Nii-sama," Rukia greeted as she took out a bowl from the cupboard. "Any news regarding the killings?" She walked towards another cupboard to grab a box of cereal.

"No, but I did hear on the radio there was last night," Byakuya answered.

"Who is it this time?" Rukia opened the fridge and took out a jug of milk.

"Neliel Tu Oderschvanck," Byakuya replied as he folded the newspaper and put it aside. "She was a beautiful, intelligent business woman who was a very gifted lawyer. It's strange how our vampire targets women mainly."

"Maybe that's his favourite," Rukia replied as she took her prepared cereal to the kitchen table and dug her spoon in.

"Which brings me to the other question," Byakuya said as he stared at his sister. "Why were you found sleeping on the job?"

Rukia stared at her brother, dumbfounded by his question. "Huh?"

"You know what I'm asking. Why were you found sleeping with your gun beside you? You do know that it raises suspicion. You were lucky that I was there when I did or else you would be put into custody on suspicion of these murders. So you didn't catch the vampire, didn't you?"

Rukia tried to remember what happened last night once again, but nothing came to her. Something must have happened that caused her to lose her memory. Maybe it had something do with her realistic dream? She was not sure.

"I guess I didn't," she replied with a shrug as she took another bite of her cereal.

"What did I tell you about not taking your job seriously?"

Rukia glared at her brother. "Nii-sama, I told you that I don't remember. Something happened last night that made me lose my memory. I think I may have encountered the vampire, but he used some kind of mind-erasing trick and escaped."

"That must _never_ happen again," Byakuya dictated. "It would seem that he is more cunning than we thought. Whenever you see him again, shoot him _without_ hesitation. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Nii-sama," Rukia said. Then she continued to eat her cereal in peace.

* * *

><p>Later that day, she took out her umbrella and went out for a walk to clear her head. Something about the rain made her feel at ease, and she felt calm and collected whenever she heard the faint tapping of water against her umbrella. She arrived in the small downtown area, stopping only to examine cute outfits that hung by the windows of the shops. When she was feeling hungry, she walked into the bakery and walked out once again with a piece of strawberry cake.<p>

Just when she was sitting down to eat her cake, a familiar presence caught her eye. This familiar presence was leaning against a building, watching the people as they pass him. It seemed that he was not bothered by the fact the rain was soaking his orange hair or his clothes. Some people walked by, blocking her view of the man for a moment, but when they completely passed, the man was gone in an instant.

* * *

><p>And that's the second chapter! So far, it seems that people really like this story, which is awesome! Sorry for what I did to Neliel as well; I mean, I really like her. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and sorry for the kind of rushed ending. I already have a bit of writer's block on this story; I guess it's because of how busy things are going to be this month with my final exam and Condemned Time and the Christmas holidays. Please let me know what you think of this chapter though.<p>

Take care!


	3. Lust

Finally! I'm finally able to update on this story! It's been what…6 or 7 months since chapter 2? Anyway, I had been busy with the first couple chapters (which were originally going to be combined into one big chapter) of Condemned Time, and now that those are done with, it's time to update Bloody Rose. I have to warn you that there's a scene here that's almost rape, but you'll see why Ichigo is really sadistic and why Rukia is reluctant to do her job as a hunter.

Anyway, without further ado, here's the 3rd chapter of Bloody Rose!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3: Lust<strong>

Ichigo continued to stare at Rukia from the roof. It was a close call that she had nearly seen him, but he remembered that she would not recognize him if she did, thanks to the mind-erase technique he had used on her. He cursed the fact that there was still people walking around in the rain for he could give anything just to savour the sweet and coppery taste of her blood.

Since she was a hunter, she would most likely be out again tonight. That would be the time to strike.

Ichigo took a giant leap onto the next roof and took off into a run, jumping onto the next roof and the next until he eventually got to his house.

There, he jumped down and entered the side door. "I'm home," he called.

Yuzu was busy cleaning the house when her brother entered. "Hi Onii-chan!" He shouted from another room over the loud hum of the vacuum cleaner.

Ichigo walked upstairs and entered his room, where he laid on his bed, staring at the ceiling. His mind was overcome with memories again, just like it did every day, but there was one memory that stood out from the rest.

_~Flashback…100 years in the past~_

It was the night of June 17, and rain was pounding heavily on the pavement. A beautiful woman with long, wavy, strawberry-blonde hair falling past her shoulders walked beside the river. A young boy with short orange hair and brown eyes, who was probably no older than the age of nine, who holding her hand. A large, black umbrella was held in the woman's other hand over herself and her son.

A luxurious car screeched to a halt several feet behind them, and an elderly man dressed in a black blazer and dress pants stepped out. His silver hair was tied neatly in a short ponytail behind his head, and he seemed to be some kind of businessman. He reached a hand into his blazer and called out to the woman.

Masaki stopped in her tracks and turned to face this man. She knelt towards Ichigo, handed him the umbrella, and whispered in a low voice, "It's a hunter. I want you to hide."

"But mama!" Ichigo protested, fearing what would happen.

Masaki's soft angelic whisper turned harsh as she too, deep down, was afraid about what would happen. "Run, Ichigo! Run and hide! Please!"

They averted their eyes to the man who was pulling out his gun from his blazer. Ichigo looked back at his mother one more time and ran towards a tree, where he hid behind it.

The man clicked off the safety to his gun and pointed it at the woman in front of him. "Don't worry, vampire, I'm only interested in you. I know the devil within hasn't awakened in him yet, but as for you, well, this has to be done."

She stood up tall, ready to defend herself at any cost. "I know who you are. You're Ginrei Kuchiki. You're a part of the elite clan of hunters that have fought and slain us vampires for generations."

"Smart lady," Ginrei said proudly. "Too bad it won't last much longer."

"I've never done anything!" She exclaimed, hands balled into fists.

"Nice try, vampire, but you're villainy will end here and now. Good bye!"

He pulled the trigger, but Masaki thought fast. With a burst of speed, she dodged the bullet before it could hit her. Ginrei shot again and Masaki dodged again.

The hunter was frustrated with the vampire's dodging. He had to get this over and done with, so he pointed his gun towards Ichigo.

Masaki widened her eyes in horror and hissed in alarm. Knowing what would happen, she dashed in front of the gun just as Ginrei pulled the trigger. Ichigo screamed when his mother took the bullet and disappeared in a cloud of dust.

Ginrei blew on the tip of his gun, put it back in its holster behind his blazer, and walked away, listening to the cries of the little boy behind him.

_~Back to present…~_

Ichigo growled at the memory and sat up. Even though Ginrei had died years ago, he still swore revenge, and he was determined to take it out on Rukia. He opened the window and jumped out into the night.

* * *

><p>Rukia sighed as she stepped out of her mansion, coffee tumbler mug in her hand and gun in her jacket pocket. <em>Another night of hunting vampires…when will it end? <em>She thought to herself. If her brother were there, he would answer, "when they're all gone." _Yeah, that will take forever, _she continued her thoughts.

She thought about what she saw back in town that afternoon. There was an odd familiarity about that strange, orange-haired boy she caught a small glimpse of, but there was nothing about him in her memories. Maybe it was her imagination?

She shrugged off the thought as she exited her property and walked down the lonely, dimly-lit street.

* * *

><p>She panted as she ran through the streets, cursing herself for being so stupid, for going outside to meet a friend with hers. Now Hinamori Momo is prey to the so-called "Karakura Serial Killer".<p>

He looked like a normal teen-aged boy with orange hair, but his icy pale skin and his horrifying, hungry yellow eyes were the only features that stood out. When he first approached her, she could see fangs through his bloodthirsty grin. It was as though this boy was a…vampire.

Hinamori shut her eyes tightly, wishing that this was a nightmare and that she would wake up. Tears splashed from her eyes as she tried to increase her speed; she did not want to die.

She opened her eyes and she saw him running beside her. This sight made her scream.

Ichigo grinned evilly as he struck her down. Then he stepped towards her. "I love it when they're afraid," he whispered, "it makes them taste divine."

He picked Hinamori up by the collar of her shirt and chuckled at her whimpering pleas. Then he sank his fangs into her throat and sucked her blood.

Overwhelmed by this, Hinamori fell limp in Ichigo's arms while he kept sucking her dry. She tasted sweet to him, and this was why he preferred young women like her.

Once the last drop of blood was consumed from her system, Ichigo dropped the deceased body and licked his lips, satisfied with his meal.

He was about to walk away when Rukia showed up behind him, pointing her gun towards him. "FREEZE!" She yelled. "YOU'RE NOT GETTING AWAY!"

Ichigo turned towards his nemesis, still smirking. "Actually, I was expecting you, hunter Kuchiki Rukia."

Rukia widened her eyes. "What do you mean? And how do you know my name?"

Ichigo chuckled. "I've got my ways, and count yourself lucky for I've already had my meal." He stepped towards her. "However, my thirst for revenge has yet to be sated. So I wanna have some fun toying with you and making every bit count."

"Not if I can help it!" Rukia shouted. She shot her gun, but Ichigo dodged the bullet. He disarmed her with one arm and wrapped the other around her neck. Rukia tried to struggle from his grip, but he held her tighter.

"Let me go!" She demanded.

"Not a chance," Ichigo hissed. "My mother begged for her life, and you'd think that your ancestor let her go? Of course not, so it's on your conscience, you bitch."

Rukia did not say anything. She had heard that her great grandfather killed a female vampire a hundred years ago, and she did not like his method. The woman, Kurosaki Masaki, barely fought back, and Ginrei pointed his gun to her son, who's vampire instincts had not awakened yet. It made her ashamed to be a hunter, but it did not surprise her. Her family had a reputation to be cold-hearted, and she did not agree with it.

"Not gonna say something?" Ichigo asked with a frown. "That's too bad. Come with me." He dragged her towards a warehouse not too far away.

"What the hell are you planning, vampire?" Rukia questioned as they stepped inside the warehouse.

"First of all, my name isn't 'vampire', it's Kurosaki Ichigo," Ichigo answered, "and second," he threw her on the floor, "I'm gonna give you the time of your life." He snickered as he studied her body with interest.

Rukia blushed for she knew what the vampire was talking about. For some reason, a part of her was excited and another part protested. How could a vampire and a human do something like this? It just was not natural - maybe in books she had read, but she could not dream of this kind of thing happening. However, she knew that it was going to happen no matter if she liked it or not.

She blushed deeper when Ichigo took off his shirt, showing off his perfect chest that only a model or an actor would have.

Ichigo stepped towards her and crushed his lips against hers, taking her by surprise with the degree of coldness they possessed. Ichigo ripped Rukia's shirt and bra away without effort and rubbed her breasts. He lowered his lips to her neck and licked the base, earning a soft moan from the woman under him.

He smirked as he ripped off her pants. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Rukia said nothing in response. Ichigo took off his pants, exposing his erect manhood. "Face it, Rukia, you can't resist me."

"Oh, shut up," Rukia snapped.

However, she gasped when Ichigo returned to licking and sucking on her neck. She wanted to push the vampire away from her, but he was making it harder for her to resist.

Ichigo positioned himself between Rukia's legs, and without lubrication or stretching her inner walls, he slammed himself into her. Before Rukia could scream, Ichigo captured her mouth with his and thrust into her once again, just as hard as before.

While Ichigo was slamming himself into her, Rukia's body was overcome by both pain and pleasure. This was considered as rape to her, but a part of her was actually _enjoying_ this! Unconsciously, she wrapped her arms around Ichigo's neck as he increased his intensity and speed.

His cold hands roamed around her body, squeezing their hold every few seconds. When they reached her ass, Ichigo slapped it as hard as he could with one hand.

Both of them were nearing their orgasms, and Ichigo had increased his speed and intensity to their maximums. Trickles of blood were escaping Rukia's abused vagina, but she did not care. Her screams of pain had also completely turned into those of pleasure.

Then, in an instant, Ichigo unleashed his seed into Rukia, who had her orgasm at the same time.

Rukia panted as Ichigo put his clothes back on. Her body shook from the intensity of the sex that she just had, and she could admit that it was the time of her life.

"If I were you, I'd put my clothes on as well," Ichigo stated coldly. "I didn't tear them _that_ much."

Rukia did as she was told without a word.

"And for your information," Ichigo continued, "I'm not done with you yet. Tomorrow night, I'm going to make sure that my next victim is you. Mark my words, Kuchiki, the next time I see you, I _will_ kill you, and I'm going to savour your blood and enjoy it. Until next time!" In an instant, Ichigo disappeared.

Rukia covered her exposed chest as she too left the warehouse, letting Ichigo's words echo through her mind. She felt guilty for what her great-grandfather had done to Ichigo. She could not blame Ichigo for the way his personality was, even though his crimes were as heinous as they were. And another thing crossed her mind as she walked down the streets - she realized that she had fallen in love with the vampire that she had hated with every fibre of her being.

* * *

><p>So that's the end of chapter 3! There will be one more chapter after this and the story will end unfortunately, but the ending will not be what you would expect so you'll just have to wait and see what will happen when chapter 4 comes out. Chapter 3 of Condemned Time will be out soon as well (I just started writing it), so watch out for that.<p>

In the meantime, please review and let me know how I did in this chapter!

See you soon!


	4. Emotions Run High

****Here's the final chapter of this story! I'd like to thank those of you who had given it so much feedback because without you, this story wouldn't have been such a success. I'd like to thank Koffin Cat for giving me ideas because if he didn't then this story would never have been finished.

There are, however, two character deaths ahead. Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy this final chapter.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4: Emotions Run High<strong>

Ichigo laughed as he stepped inside his house. The excitement of completing his revenge was overwhelming, and he loved relishing in it.

Isshin heard his son's laughter and he walked to his location. "You're in a good mood," he noted.

Ichigo grinned. "I am. I fucked with Kuchiki Rukia's emotions and I'm going to complete my revenge tomorrow night."

Isshin scowled. "Kuchiki, huh? You do realize that you're being reckless…and an idiot. When I decided to allow you to hunt alone, this wasn't what I had in mind."

His words made Ichigo snarl. "And I tell you that I'm no longer a kid. I can take care of myself."

"And I'm warning you now, Ichigo. Do what you wish, but don't get killed while you do it." He left the entrance hall, and Ichigo glared after him.

* * *

><p>When Rukia went to bed the next morning, She could not get herself to fall asleep. The event that happened the night before was stuck in her mind. Ichigo was right; it was a night that she could never forget.<p>

Ever since Kaien was killed, she had never felt this way for any man. She did not expect a vampire like Ichigo to change her life around. She was a hunter; he was supposed to be her enemy. It was too complicated to understand.

Another thing she could not understand was why Ichigo did what he did. Did he feel the same way about her? Or was he just taking advantage of her? Either way, she knew that she was going to confront him tonight.

She turned over on her side with a sigh and allowed her tired eyelids to close.

* * *

><p>At dusk, Ichigo walked towards the front door with a smirk on his face.<p>

"Ichigo." His father's voice made him stop in his tracks.

Ichigo scowled and gave a frustrated sigh. "What now, goat-face?"

Isshin chuckled at the nickname. "Cute." Then he frowned once again. "Just so you know, I cleaned up your mess the other day."

Ichigo turned around to face his father. "What mess?"

"Remember you told me that you almost succeeded in making a girl your victim before that hunter stopped you?"

Ichigo remembered Tatsuki Arisawa, the girl who got away from him the night he met Rukia for the first time. He never really cared what about spiky-haired girl did, but it was a big deal to his father. "Yeah, what about her?"

"That mess," Isshin answered, "I found her yesterday and quickly dealt with her. If you _ever_ do that again, then so help me…there _will_ be consequences. Keep that in mind."

Ichigo sighed again. He hated it when his father was on his case, but he knew that the older vampire made a valid point.

But now, he was really anxious to finish his revenge. "Can I go now?" He asked impatiently.

Isshin hesitated but he nodded anyway. He knew his son had a plan in mind, but he was still wary about what might happen.

When Ichigo walked out the door, Isshin waited until his son was ten kilometres away before he quietly followed in his direction.

* * *

><p>Rukia stared at her reflection in the mirror as she was getting dressed for what would seem to be her final "vampire hunt". Her mind was full of thoughts and fantasies, all about a certain handsome vampire. She blushed at them, but she fought them off, telling herself to not be a victim of such fairy tales. But it did not take long before those thoughts returned to her.<p>

She sighed as she put on her jean jacket. Either way, this situation was going to be solved, and she was willing to take any action that Ichigo does to her.

Sighing again, she put her gun in her jacket pocket and walked out her bedroom door, then down the stairs to the entrance hall.

Byakuya heard her footsteps and walked to the entrance hall, where his sister was slipping on her shoes. "Don't be careless, Rukia," he reminded her. "Remember your bloodline and don't disappoint me."

Rukia gave an almost inaudible sigh of frustration. "Yes, Nii-sama," she replied in a monotone voice.

"I want success this time," Byakuya continued. "If I hear that that vampire had made another victim, then it will be on your conscience."

Rukia froze at her brother's harsh words and realized that their honesty. After all, she was the one responsible for the hunting in her household. However, the object of her affection is the very vampire that she was after. She could never tell her brother what was on her mind. This was her heritage…and her prison.

"I can't hear you," Byakuya said impatiently, bringing his sister away from her thoughts.

"Yes, Nii-sama," Rukia agreed in her monotone voice. "I'll be successful this time." Without another word, she opened the front door of the mansion and stepped out into the night.

Byakuya stared after his sister. There was something sceptical about her; he had a feeling that she had other thoughts in her mind. She had not been successful the past couple of nights, and he had a feeling that it was because this vampire responsible for the recent killings was very crafty. Narrowing his eyes, he put on his shoes and stepped outside the mansion-his gun neatly placed in his blazer.

Rukia walked down the deserted streets of Karakura, looking around for any sign of Ichigo. The bushes rustled with the slight breeze, and several lights flickered in their glow. No sound was heard except for her shoes tapping against the pavement as she walked.

She turned another corner, but it was all the same-no sight of anyone, not even Ichigo. Where was he? Then again, Karakura was still a big place for a town, so he could be anywhere. She just had to continue to look out for him.

Standing on a tree above her, Ichigo silently watched as Rukia patrolled the streets. As he had promised the night before, he had made sure that Rukia would be his next victim. The blood lust was overwhelming and he was very thirsty.

Bearing his fangs, he jumped down from the tree branch and crouched behind a nearby bush. He continued to watch her every move with his hungry eyes.

She was a thing of beauty, he could admit. The sex that he had with her night before was amazing, but he promised himself that it was a one-time thing. No vampire would _ever_ fall in love with a human, especially a hunter. Either way, she was a goddess in his eyes, and it would be a shame when he bites her. But he had been looking forward to this moment for years, and his vampire instincts were far superior to those so-called "feelings".

He waited until she was directly in front of him before he stepped out of his hiding place. "Glad you didn't chicken out, Kuchiki," he said, making her stop walking.

Her breath caught in her throat when she heard his voice, but she was not afraid. She turned around to face him. "I was actually looking for you," she replied.

Ichigo chuckled at Rukia's answer. "I didn't realize you were so eager to die so quickly. Fine by me." The evil grin remained on his face as he stepped forward.

"Actually," Rukia corrected, "I've been looking for you because I want to talk to you about something."

Ichigo's smirk went away as he cocked an eyebrow. "What is this about, midget? You aren't bringing another one of your fellow hunters to take me down, are you?"

"Not exactly," Rukia answered, ignoring "midget" insult. "I'm here to confess something to you. You were right about last night; I've never forgotten about it, and I never will. So, my confession…is that your actions last night…opened my eyes."

"What the hell is this about?" Ichigo asked impatiently.

Rukia struggled on what to say next, not looking into the eyes of the vampire in front of her. "I'm really about what my great-grandfather did to your mother, and if I could give my life to bring her back, I would do so in a heartbeat. I know you're a vampire…but I've started to understand you. To sum up everything that I feel about you," she locked eyes with Ichigo's, "I love you, Kurosaki Ichigo."

Silence fell between them for a moment, and Ichigo stared at Rukia wide-eyed. It was easy to fight off any feelings that fought to his mind, and he burst out laughing. "You've got to be fucking kidding me!" He exclaimed through his laughter. "Did you really think that last night MEANT something?! If you did, then you must be fucking STUPID!"

Rukia tried her best to remain strong through Ichigo's insults. After all, this was kind of to be expected from him.

"You think you UNDERSTAND me now?!" Ichigo continued. "Pop quiz: what the hell am I? I'm a fucking vampire, you stupid bitch! This isn't like Twilight or whatever bullshit romance story. This is reality! I KILL people and suck their blood for SUSTAINABILITY! You're a fucking HUMAN, for crying out loud! You're nothing but PREY in my eyes! And last night? I fucked you to mess with your emotions! If whatever happened last night made you fall in love with me, then I must have done a _hell _of a great job fucking with you." Ichigo's malicious grin grew wider as he stepped toward Rukia once again. "Face it, hunter, you and I will _never_ happen…_ever_."

Rukia fought off any tears that threatened to spill from her eyes as she continued to hold her head up high. "You're partially right. This _is_ reality and I know that we might not be together. However, it will take more than that to break me." She smiled. "If this means that I can be one of you…"

"Impossible," Ichigo said bluntly, cutting her off.

"I'm willing to do anything to prove to you how I feel about you." She scooped up a few locks of hair to expose her neck. "I know that within that empty soul of yours, you feel something as well. It's your call, Ichigo. Finish your revenge if it means so much to you. I'm waiting." She closed her eyes, waiting for Ichigo's fangs to sink into her neck.

Suspicion rose on Ichigo's face as he studied Rukia's actions. What was she thinking? He was not sure if she was playing mind games with him or something. Either way, his overwhelming thirst for blood was too strong to fight against.

Once he was close enough to her, he wrapped an arm around her and touched her cheek with the other. Rukia shivered at the icy touch, but she was ready for this. An unconscious tear dripped down her face as she continued to wait for death to come. Ichigo's mouth opened as he brought his head closer to Rukia's neck.

Suddenly, a gunshot sounded in the night, and Ichigo hissed with surprised and pain. Rukia opened her eyes and gasped in horror at Ichigo clutching his wounded shoulder. She averted her eyes to the person responsible for firing the gun-Byakuya Kuchiki.

"Nii-Nii-sama!" She stammered with shock.

Ichigo clenched his teeth as he also stared at the intruder.

"I'm disappointed in you, Rukia," Byakuya said coldly. "How could you allow this vampire to bite you?" Rukia said nothing in response. "No matter. At least you led me to the vampire responsible for the recent killings."

Ichigo hissed loudly.

Rukia felt guilty for his injured shoulder. She did not mean for her brother to follow her without detection. She wanted to help Ichigo, but she was caught in the middle. If her brother ever found out about her feelings for Ichigo…she was afraid of what would happen.

Byakuya pointed his gun on more time towards Ichigo. "Your time has ended, vampire."

Ignoring the burning pain in his shoulder, Ichigo burst towards his assailant in a blurring speed. He kicked the gun out of Byakuya's hands and attempted to punch his face.

However, Byakuya blocked the punch. "You're weakening," he said. "Don't you feel a numbing and burning sensation in that shoulder? The more you fight, the more the miserable, so-called life you have left fades away."

Ichigo growled and attempted to elbow Byakuya in the chest, but that was blocked. Byakuya kicked Ichigo in the stomach, knocking him flat on his back.

Byakuya picked up his gun, and before Ichigo could get up, he pointed it in his face. "It's time for you to go back to hell," Byakuya said.

Rukia gazed in fear at what was happening in front of her. She wanted so much to help Ichigo; she wanted to make everything right again.

"Nii-sama…" She whispered. "Please stop… Please…" She took a deep breath to scream for her brother to stop, but before any sound came out, a dark figure tackled Byakuya to the ground.

The figure stood up, showing his full height. Rukia could see that this man was just as tall as her brother with a black hood covering his head. The rest of his ebony cloak swished at his feet in the slight breeze.

The figure partially turned to show his face in the light, and Rukia's widened at the vampire features on his familiar face. She had only heard stories about the progenitor of the Kurosaki clan, but she had never seen him in person until now.

Ichigo struggled to sit up, using an elbow to prop himself. "Dad…" He trailed off, also surprised that his father had arrived.

"Stay there," Isshin instructed coldly. He turned towards Byakuya, who had also stood up.

"Kurosaki Isshin," Byakuya whispered. "Isn't this a surprise?" Isshin did not say anything; he continued to glare at the hunter before him. "You have evaded my ancestors for centuries. Now tonight will be the night that I finish you off."

Rukia gasped at her brother's words. She did not like to be imprisoned by her own heritage, but she also did not want to see her brother get hurt or killed. He may have been harsh to her, but he was all she had left of her family. How she hated to be caught in the middle!

In a cloud of black mist, Isshin executed punch after kick after punch, which Byakuya barely blocked. He was overwhelmed by the fighting style this vampire had. Then again, he _was_ the progenitor of the Kurosaki clan-one of the most experienced and oldest vampires in history.

Byakuya tried to fire his gun, but Isshin disappeared in a cloud of black mist. He tried to look around for his opponent, but it was difficult to see him.

Suddenly, Isshin appeared behind him in a flash; his eyes were glowing an eerie yellow. "A mere human, especially a hunter, is no match for my power," he stated. He stabbed a hand into Byakuya's back, but he missed a vital area.

Byakuya hissed in pain as Isshin pulled his hand out of the wound.

"Now you've witnessed what I'm capable of, it's time for you to die," Isshin announced. He bared his fangs to bite Byakuya.

Rukia did not why, but her legs seemed to have moved on instinct. She managed to squeeze between Isshin and Byakuya. "Stop! I'm begging you please! Stop!"

Isshin raised an eyebrow. What was this girl trying to prove?

"It was my fault that your son got hurt," Rukia admitted, tears streaming down her cheeks. She averted her eyes to Ichigo's weakening body lying several feet away. "And I'm really, truly sorry that your wife was killed by my great-grandfather. It was because of his actions that made me not want to become a hunter in the first place."

"Rukia," Byakuya spoke, surprised by his sister's actions and words. He did not know what to think.

"But please, I'm begging you. My brother may have hurt your son, but he's the only family I have. Please…" She sobbed as more tears streamed down her cheeks.

She suddenly felt a hand on her wrist, followed by a light tug. Caught by surprise, she gazed at the one who had grabbed her wrist-it was Ichigo.

"Ichi…" Rukia whispered.

That was when he said something that shocked her. "I can't allow you to try to get yourself hurt like this." His voice was hoarse from his fatal injury. "You're being stupid." He grunted as pain overwhelmed him. He did not know how much longer he was going to last.

Rukia knelt next to him and supported his head on her lap. She brought her hands close to Ichigo's wound, but the vampire hissed at her.

"Ichigo," she whispered. "Let me help."

"Why should I?" Ichigo asked, his eyes focused on a spot away from her. "All I did was hurt innocent people. I'm a killer, remember? On top of that, I hurt you too."

Rukia smiled sadly. "I know, but I would never let you hurt me. My love for you is too strong."

Ichigo said nothing. He would never admit it out loud, but he felt at ease lying in Rukia's lap, almost as though death was a million miles away.

It did not take long before Byakuya could focus on his fight with Isshin despite the injury he had taken on his shoulder. He fired his gun at Isshin, who turned to mist and dodged the bullet. Then Isshin countered with a flying tornado kick after re-materializing himself.

Byakuya ducked the kick, but Isshin followed up with a double-fist hammer punch. Byakuya barely had time to dodge it, but the attack still connected and knocked him to the pavement.

Ichigo suddenly felt an overwhelming and intense pain shoot through him. He immediately rolled off Rukia's lap and started to scream in agony.

"Ichigo!" Rukia cried as she tried to calm him down, but his convulsions never ceased. Ichigo eyes rolled to the back of his head as the toxic residue of the bullet continued to drain the life out of him.

"Ichigo! Oh my God, I'm so sorry!" Rukia sobbed as fresh tears streamed down her cheeks. There was nothing she could do to reverse the pain that was killing them both.

"Shut up!" Ichigo screeched. "Get the fuck out of here now!"

"I'm not leaving!" Rukia shouted.

"This is only going to get worse! For you and for me. Leave now!"

It was apparent that Ichigo did not want Rukia to see him suffer, but Rukia did not want to leave. She may have been stupid, but she was paralyzed. Paralyzed with the fear of losing her brother and the man before her. She wanted to stay with Ichigo for as long as possible.

Ichigo convulsions eventually ended, as with the pain. He could not feel anything anymore. Was this it? He stared at his hands, which were beginning to fade away.

He lowered them and gazed at Rukia's tearful face. If there was ever a trace of emotion in his empty soul, he showed it. His eyes showed love, pain, sadness…regret. She brightened his dark world, and he could now see her in a more different light than he had ever seen anyone or anything before. He loved her and he wanted to hold her, but it was too late.

They reached for one another, but before Rukia could brush her hands against Ichigo's, he turned into a pile of white ashes that scattered in the nightly breeze. Ichigo Kurosaki faded out of existence and Rukia was left alone.

"ICHIGO!" Rukia cried in anguish. Tears fell continuously from her face like a waterfall, and she keeled over on the pavement, beating it with her fists. She screamed at her loss. She felt sick. How could this happen? A large part of her was ripped out even though she did not know Ichigo for long.

An ominous sensation struck Isshin. He turned his head to Rukia's location to make sure that this terrible feeling within him was not true. Unfortunately for him, it was true. His son was gone, and Rukia was breaking down in distressing cries.

His teeth clenched so tightly that they could break under pressure. He turned back to Byakuya and an aura of black energy swirled around him. His eyes glowed brighter and he snarled loudly as he charged towards Byakuya.

Shocked by his opponent's sudden increase in aggression, Byakuya fired his gun. However, Isshin de-materialized and wrapped his hand around his opponent's throat. Byakuya tried to struggle free, but Isshin tightened his hold. Immediately, the progenitor sunk his fangs into the hunter's throat and started to suck his blood.

Byakuya screamed as his life was sucked from him. Rukia slowly turned her head and gasped in horror when her brother's hand fell limp.

Isshin calmed down and threw the hunter's body hard on the ground. Then he turned to face Rukia, who scuffled a couple centimetres backward.

Isshin softened his eyes. "Don't be afraid, woman. I'm sorry these things have to happen. I've lived for over a thousand years and I had witnessed many catastrophes throughout those years-the deaths and massacres of my kind and of yours. Sometimes I empathize with you humans, just like I am with you tonight."

Rukia slowly stood up and clenched her fists tightly. "I'm so sorry," she trailed off.

Isshin nodded. "I understand your love for him. However, it wasn't your fault. These things happen. Tell you what. I will make sure you forget this night. Your life is much too short to carry such a burden."

Rukia looked at Isshin in alarm.

Isshin smiled slightly at Rukia's puzzled expression. He put a palm on the girl's forehead, and a slight glow appeared.

A familiar sensation rose within Rukia. She felt that she had experienced this before, but she could not remember when or where. After a feeling of discomfort, her eyes closed and she started to collapse.

However, Isshin caught her before she could hit the ground. Then he gently laid her on the grass.

With one final look at the scene before him, he disappeared into a dozen bats, which flew into the night.

* * *

><p>Two years later, Rukia had finally retired from the hunter business and enjoyed her new life as a waitress in a luxurious restaurant in Karakura. This new job of hers was paying for her college tuitions. This was a simpler life, but anything was better than hunting vampires.<p>

One evening, while walking home from work, she stopped by the river and breathed in deeply. She had ever felt so content in her life. After a moment of reflecting on the past two years, she continued to walk home.

She walked up the steps to her small, cottage-like house, but before she could open the front door, she noticed something-a small object-placed on the small table next to her door. Rukia picked up the object to take a better look at it; it was a crimson rose placed in a crystal-cut, glass, air-tight vial. She held it up to the sunlight and was amazed at the object's beauty.

But how did it get to her house? Who put it there? All she knew that it was a special gift, which she would cherish for as long as possible. It was almost like she could feel a presence along with this gift, the presence of a man that, even though he no longer exists in this world, would forever exist in her heart.

* * *

><p>Well that's it. I'm sorry for killing off Ichigo and Byakuya there, but I've always wanted to do a story in which Ichigo died at the end. I don't know why though. Anyway, once again I'd like to thank all of you for your support and feedback.<p>

What's coming up next? I'm going to focus on Condemned Time. I've put that story on hold because I hadn't been getting much feedback of it lately and I'd really appreciate it if I would get more feedback. It's the final installment of the trilogy including Incomplete Sorrows and Inherited Nightmares, so check it out when you can. I'm also working on the sequel to Congratulations called New Life. It's a one-shot, Ulquiorra x Orihime story which focuses on Orihime's life after she left Ichigo's wedding.

With all that said, I hope you guys have a great weekend and I'll catch you later on my next update!

Take care!


End file.
